East Meets East

In June of 1991 when we were setting up the Soros foundation in Yugoslavia, Mr. Soros spoke about an idea for a program that would foster ties between existing Soros foundations and develop projects for regional cooperation. "People should travel, meet each other, exchange opinions and experiences;” he said. “They should engage in the process of transition. There is so fnuch that people from Central and Eastern Europe can offer each other, so many ways in which they can be helpful to each other. The region should be alive.” We still remember his words. Soon afterwards in August, at a meeting in Budapest during which discussion led. to collaboration and exchanging translations of social commentaries within the region, we laid the foundations for this visionary new program. Annette Laborey gave the program its name: East East. (fragment)